Valve mechanism for steam plants



Sept. 29, 1942. R. KOLLER VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM PLANTS Filed Sept.7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Rickard K6118! BY MW ATTORN EYS p1942- R. KOLLER 2,297,418

VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM PLANTS- Filed Sept. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aQ R M r o .1 l J fi m w 5 E 3 w v 3 w a \A m a m & m {m y 1 l TF R 2 w3% m y M 3 5 m W 4 12 3 M 7 a 9 00 4 0 mm M. mm m as 5 I0:

2 w a A a 3 m ll lIlIl/l lllllllfln 1 l B 8 n a 00 1 a m1 ATTORNEYSPatented Sept. 29, ee

. 2,297,418 VALVE MECHANISM FOR srsmym'rs Richard Kiiller, Bremen,Germany: vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application September 7,1939, Serial Germany December 5, 193

2 Claims. (Cl. 137-153) One object of the present invention is toprovide new and improved means for operating and controlling the mainstop valve and fuel oil valve of a power plant steam boiler, in such away as to aflord increased safety in the operation of said plant. Theinvention is particularly adapted for use in ship power plants,operating under high pressure and temperature, although as far ascertain aspects of the invention are concerned, it may be used inconjunction with any steam generating plant.

As a feature of the present invention, there is provided hand controlledmeans for operating both the fuel oil valve and the main stop valve of aboiler plant simultaneously into open or closed position.

As a further feature, means are provided for operating the main stopvalve independently of the position of the hand controlled means.

As another feature, the fuel oil valve may be operated into openposition independently of the position of the hand controlled means.

' As another feature, there is provided a safety device, operated bysteam pressure for closing the main stop valve and the fuel valveautomatically and independently of the position of the hand controlledmeans, when the pressure in 'the steam mains drops below a predeterminedamount with respect to the boiler pressure. This construction affordsadditional safety means for closing the main stop valve when defectssuch as fractures or large leaks appear in the steam mains.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following particular description, and from aninspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through one form of constructionembodying the present invention, parts thereof being shown somewhatdiagrammatic,

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of another form of constructionembodying the present invention, parts thereof being shown somewhatdiagrammatic,

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In the specific form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there isprovided a fuel oil valve I II for controlling the fuel to a boiler (notoutlet of said boiler, and a hand controlled device I2 for operatingsaid valves simultaneously.

The fuel oil valve I6, which may be of the slide type, is showncomprising a valve casing I6, and a valve member l6 therein,co-operating with a valve seat Il between the inlet and outlet sides ofsaid valve, and secured to one end of a stem I8. This stem I6 is guidedfor axially slidable movement in a fixed guide plate 20,

and is urged upwardly in the valve closure position shown in Fig. 1 bymeans of a coil spring 2|, encircling said stem and seated at one end onsaid guide plate, and abutting at its other end a collar 22 aflixed tosaid stem.

The main stop valve II comprises a valve casing 25, having an inlet 26,connected to the outlet side of the boiler drum or boiler steamcollector by means of a flange 21, and an outlet 28 connected to thesteam mains, feeding the various prime movers of the power plant such asthe steam engines. Between this inlet and outlet is a. valve member 30,adapted to co-operate with a valve seat 1 I. I

The motive means for operating the stop valve II comprises a controlpiston 62, reciprocable in a cylinder 33, and rigid with the valvemember 36 through an interconnecting piston rod 34. The cylinder 33 isprovided at opposite ends with ports 35 and 36, having steam pressureconnec- 30 tions by which the piston 32 can be moved in closure or openposition of the valve .I I, according to the position of the handcontrolled device I2, as will be hereinafter described.

The hand controlled device I2 includes a 35 change-over valve 39, whichcontrols the operation of the piston 12, and which comprises a valvecasing 46, and a double cone valve member 4| therein, with its twoconical faces adapted to co-operate respectively with seats 42 and 43.

This valve member H is secured to a stem 44,

having an intermediate portion 45 threaded in,

substantially of rectangular cross-section, slldabily fitted into acorrespondingly shaped socket at the end of the crank shaft 46. As thehandle shown), a main stop valve II connected to the 46 is rotated, thecorresponding rotation of the valve stem 44 causes said stem to moveaxially as the result of its threaded engagement with v the valve casing40, so that the valve member 4| is moved into seating engagement witheither with the port 35 to deliver steam under boiler pressure to theupper side of the piston 32. A valve 60 in the line 51 is continuouslykept in open position by a suitable plug, so that the full boilerpressure is effective through the branch connections 56 and I8.

On the other sidevof the seat 42 is a pair of ports GI and 62 onopposite sides of the valve seat 43, and in communication with eachother through an intermediate valve chamber, when the valve member 4| isin seating engagement with the seat 42 as shown in Fig. l. to the port6| is one end of a pipe 83, the other end being connected to the port36. The other port 62 has a pipe connection 65 leading to the exhaustside of the power plant units, such as the steam engines.

When the valve member 4| of change-over valve 39 is in the positionshown in Fig. 1 in engagement with the valve seat 42, the valve chamber55 is shut off from communication with the ports 6| and 62, while saidports are in communication with each other, so that the pipe 33 is underlow exhaust steam pressure. Under these conditions, the underside of thepiston 32 will be under the exhaust pressure in the pipe 63, and sincethe upper side of the piston 33 is under boiler pressure at all times,the resultant downward steam pressure on said piston will cause saidpiston to move downwardly, until the valve member 30 engaging the seat3| closes ofl flow of boiler steam to the outlet 28 and into the steammains.

When the handle 48 is turned in a direction to move the valve member 4|to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1 into engagement with theseat 43, communication between the two ports 6| and 62 will be cut off,and the valve chamber 55 will be in communication with the port 6|.Under these conditions, the pressure on opposite sides of the piston 32being equaliz'ed, the boiler steam pressure acting on the under side ofthe valve member 30 will move said member upwardly into open position topermit flow of steam through the stop valve into the steam mains.

The stop valve Il may be closed independently of the change-over valve39. For that purpose,

there extends from the piston 32, and through one end of the cylinder33, a rod 56, reduced in diameter at one end to form an annular shoulder61. Loosely encircling this reduced section of the rod 66 above theshoulder 61 is a sleeve 63, which has a splined connection with a bevelgear 69, meshing with bevel pinions i0, and which is threaded to a framestructure Upon rotation of the pinions Hi, the resulting rotation of thesleeve 68 will move said sleeve axially along the reduced end of the rod56. This sleeve 63 can be moved downwardly suil'lciently to close thevalve II by the seating engagement of said sleeve 68 with the shoulder61 of the rod 66, independently of the change-over valve 39, or

can be raised with respect to the rod 6G in posi- Connected tion tolimit the extent of opening of the stop valve H.

In order to operate the fuel oil valve l3 simultaneously with the mainstop valve II, the crank shaft 43 has a cam 13, desirably integraltherewith, and cooperating with a lever 14, one end of which ispivotally secured at II to the frame bracket 41. This lever 14 carriesintermediate its ends a roller 13, pressed into follower engagement withthe cam 13 by the action of coil spring 2| acting on valve stem l3. Inthe position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the high part 11 of the cam 13being out of engagement with the follower-roller 13, the lever 14 willbe in its extreme counter-clockwise position shown, so that the valvemember "will be pressed into closure position against the valve seat II.when stop valve H as already described, the high portion of the cam I3moving into engagement with the follower roller 13, rotates the lever 14clockwise about its pivotal support, so that the valve stem I3 ispressed downwardly against the 1 action of the coil spring 2| to openthe valve It.

The handle 43 is desirably provided with a device 13 for indicating openand closed position of the two valves I II and II. when the handle 43 isturned into indicated closed position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, both ofthese valves i3 and II will be closed, and when turned into indicatedopen position, both of these valves will be open.

Means are provided for holding 'the fuel valve l3 open, independently ofthe operation of the hand device l2. For that purpose, the free end ofthe lever 14 can be locked to an ear extension 13 of the frame bracket41 by means of a locking pin 33, when said lever is rotated clockwise inposition in which the fuel valve i0 is open.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the hand device |2afor simultaneously operating the fuel oil valve la and the main stopvalve comprises an elongated casing 3|, an operating handle 43a, a valve39a for controlling the operation of the main stop valve upon operationof said handle 43a, and connecting means between said handle and saidvalve 39a. This valve 33a comprises a valve casing 32, and a double conevalve member 83, connected to a stem 34, and adapted to co-operaterespectively with seat members 35 and 86 on opposite sides thereof.Between the two valve seats 85 and 83 is a port la, to which isconnected pipe G3. The valve seat 85 is disposed between port Sin and aport 62a, having a pipe connection 65 to the'steam exhaust side of theprime movers,

such as the steam engines. Connected to the underside of the valvemember 33 is a rod 31, having a non-conforming slide fit in the valveseat member 33 as shown in Fig. 4, to permit flow of fluid through saidseat member in the position of said valve member shown in Fig. 3.Secured to the lower end of this rod 81 is a valve piston 33, which islarger in diameter than valve member 83, and which forms part of thesafety means for automatically closing the stop valve upon theappearance of defects in the steam mains such as pipe fractures. Abovethis piston 33 is a port to which is connected pipe 53, and below saidpiston is a port 9| having a pipe connection 92 to the steam mains onthe outlet side of the main stop valve II.

In the operation ofthe control valve 39a, when the valve member 33 is inthe uppermost position shown in Fig. 3 in engagement with the upper seat85, the ports GIa and 90 will be in communication with each other, sothat the piston off. Under these conditions, the underside of the piston32 will be under low exhaust steam pressure, so that the resultantdownward steam pressure acting on said pistonwill move the valve member30a in position to close the main stop valve II.

If anything should happen to the'steam mains such as a pipe fracture ora substantial leak, which would cause the pressure in said mains to dropbelow a predetermined amount, this reduction in pressure on theunderside of the safety valve piston 88 will cause said piston to movedownwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3, independently of theposition of the handle 48a, until the valve member 83 seats on the seatmember 88. In this position of the valve member 83, the stop valve IIwill be moved in closed position in the manner already described, andthe fuel valve Illa will be closed at the same time as will bedescribed.

The connection between the valve stem 86 and the crank handle 68aincludes a crank shaft I00, affixed to said handle, and having arotative slide connection with a collar IIlI, threaded on a sleeve I02afl'lxed to the casing 8|. This slide connection is desirably formed byhaving the lower portion of said shaft of rectangular crosssectionextend loosely into an aperture of corresponding cross-section in thecollar IIII.

A cross-piece IE3 is threaded or otherwise secured to theupper end ofthe valve stem 84, and secured to the collar IN by a lost motionconnection, which permits the axial downward movement of said stem bysteam pressure action on the safety piston 88 as already described,independently of the position of the handle a. This lost motionconnection comprises a bolt or pin I04, having its upper end secured tothe collar IN, and passing loosely through the top wall of thecross-piece I03.

Stem 84 passes through a guide member I01 secured to the casing 8|, andis urged upwardly by a coil spring I08 abutting the flange of acupshaped member I09. Extending partially in this member I09 is a sleevenut IIII threaded to the stem 84, and having a flange seated on theflange of the member I09. The tension of the spring I08 can be adjustedby turning the sleeve nut IIO the desired extent.

Rotation of the handle 48a in one direction causes downward axialmovement of the collar Illl, until said collar reaches the cross-pieceI03. Further rotation of the handle 48a moves the cross-piece I03downwardly, and in turn the stem 84 to operate the valve 39a, and closethe stop valve I I as already described. Rotation of the handle in theopposite direction moves the stem 84 upwardly, and operates the valve39a into the position shown in Fig. 3.

The fuel valve Illa includes the valve member IGa connected to the stemHill, which is urged upwardly by means of the coil spring 2Ia. A

lever 14a pivotally supported at II2 has one forked end engaging thecross-piece I88, so that saidlever is moved angularly' about its pivotalposition shown in Fig. 3 against the action of the I coil spring 2Iawhen said cross-piece is moved upwardly.

Inorder to open the fuel valve Ifla independ ently of the operation ofthe change-over valve l2a, and hold said valve in this position, thereis provided a bell crank lever III, pivoted at Hi to a frame bracket H6,and having one arm III thereof constituting the operating handle, andthe other arm IIB serving to engage a collar I20, which is amxed to theupper end of the stem la, and against which the coil spring 2Ia acts.Extending transversely from the handle III is a lug I2I, adapted to besecured to a fixed frame arm I22 by means of a suitable locking pin I23.This valve holding mechanism is particularly useful to keep the fuel oilvalve open during preheating and starting, and when testing the controlmechanism 39, 39a.

If desired, the two valves Ida and II may be operated by remote controlby mechanical or other means, for example, from the engine platform orfrom the deck of the ship.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A steam power plant mechanism comprising a main stop valve on theoutlet side of a power plant steam boiler, the outlet side of said valvebeing connected to steam mains leading to the prime movers of the powerplant, a control piston for said stop valve having boiler pressureacting on one side thereof, a change-over valve comprising areciprocable valve member, a first pipe connection from asource of'boiler pressure to said changeover valve. a second pipe connectionshutting off communication between said second and third pipeconnections, and establishing communication between said first pipeconnection and said second pipe connection, when said change-over valveis operated into another position to open said stop valve, a safetypiston movable with said valve member, the steam pressure in said firstpipe connection acting on one side of said safety piston, and a pipeconnection from the other side of said safety piston to the steam mainson the outlet of the main stop valve, said safety piston being of sucharea, that when the pressure in said steam mains falls below apredetermined amount, the differential pressure acting on said safetypiston is sumcient to move said valve member into position to close themain stop valve, independently of the position of said change-overvalve.

2. A steam power plant mechanism comprising a main stop valve on theoutlet side of a power plant steam boiler, the outlet side of said valvebeing connected to steam mains leading to the Y prime movers of thepower plant, a control piston for said stop valve having boiler pressureacting on one side thereof, a change-over valve comprising areciprocable valve member, a first pipe connection from a source ofboiler pressure to said change-over valve, a second pipe connectionbetween said change-over valve and the other side of said piston, and athird'pipe connection to said change-over valve from a source of steampressure substantially lower than the boiler pressure, andmeans forestablishing communication between said second and said third pipeconnections through said change-over valve, and for shutting oil.communication between said first vpipe connection and the other pipeconnections,

